Device to prevent picking in poultry



May 4, 1937.

.l. c. CRIDLEBAUGH' 2,079,107

. DEVICE TO PREVENT PICKING IN POULTRY Filed Sept. 19, 1935 3 m c/rm falridl e6auyfi Patented May 4, 1937 UNITED STATES DEVICE TO PREVENT PICKING IN T POULTRY John Clayton Cridlebaugh, Woodinville, Wash.

Application September 19, 1935, Serial No. 41,318

6 Claims.

This invention relates to guards or masks adapted to be placed on the beaks of fowl so as to prevent picking or cannibalism. I

An object of this invention is to provide a device which can be readily mounted on the beak of a fowl, being preferably engaged with the upper portion of the beak and which serves the purpose of a blinder so as to prevent the fowl from looking forwardly and thus prevent the fowl from picking another fowl.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of this character which is relatively light in weight so that it will not'be cumbersome on the beak of the fowl and which will not interfere with the feeding of the fowl.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device of this character which can be formed from a single sheet of metal and which is so constructed that it can be readily transferred from one fowl to another or taken off of one fowl when the need therefor has passed.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a fastening means for a device of this kind which is so constructed that it will not be bent or distorted by the fowl so that when the device is in applied position, the fastening means will not permit the device to become loosened by reason of the bending or breaking of the fastening means as is the case where a straight pin is inserted through the breather openings of'the beak of the fowl and then bent to hold the pin against withdrawal.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device which .is relatively light in weight, and whose weight is not disposed entirely on the membrane in the nostril of the fowl through which. the fastening pin penetrates, but is rather to a large extent carried on the hard upper shell of the beak forwardly of the nostrils by the relatively broad connecting bar thus lessening any tendency to shock and irritate the membrane of the nostrils Another object is to provide corporates symbols or numbers by which the fowl may be readily identified without use of leg bands or such. i

,The above and various other objects and advantages of this invention will in part be described in. and in part be understood from the following detail description of the present preferredembodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein;'

Figure 1 is a detail perspective view of a device constructed according to an embodiment of a device which in- A this invention showing the device in applied position on a beak of a fowl.

Figure 2 is a detail end elevation of the device. Figure 3 is a top plan of the device. Figure 4 is a bottom plan of the device. Referring to the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numerals Ill and II designate a pair of guards or wing members which are adapted to be disposed, as shown in Figure 1, one on each side of the beak I! of a fowl. These guards or wing members l0 and II arev preferably constructed of relatively light metal such as aluminum although, of course, the

plates or wing members ill and II may be constructed out of other material if desired.

The guards or wing members Ill and II are connected together by a connection link l3 of arcuateconstruction which is adapted to engage over the top of the beak l2. This connecting link I3 is also bent rearwardly on a rearward inclination to the forward face of the plates or wing members It and II, as shown in Figure 2. Preferably, this connecting link I3 is disposed at a point slightly above the lower end portions of the guards or wing members I0 and l l, as particularly shown in Figure 3. The connecting bar [3 is relatively narrow so that it may be readily bent to the desired shape or configuration of the top portion of the beak of the fowl so as to position inner portions of the wing members l0 and II in substantially contacting relation with the opposite sides of the beak. In this manner, the device may be used for different sizes of beaks and may be transferred from one beak to another.

These wing or guard members l0 and II may be constructed of a single piece of flat metal and the inner portions thereof may be disposed in substantial alinement while the outer portions I4 and I5 respectively,'m'ay be bent forwardly so as to prevent obstructions such as wires from becoming solidly caught behind the wings and putting a strain on the fowls beak if it should pull back. The wing members l0 and II comprise the alined inner plate members l6 and I1 respectively and the forwardly bent portions I4 and I5 respectively. These wing members In and II constitute blinders and maybe of desired size so as to prevent substantial forward view of the fowl when in applied position.

The wing members l0 and II each have rearwardly projecting lugs ll and I9 provided with alined holes 20 through which a fastening pin or bar 2| is adapted to pass. This fastening pin 2| is adapted to pass through the breather opensecuring member 2| has an angularly bent portion 22, as shown in Figure 3, which extends along the rear side of the wing member ID adjacent the inner edge of this wing member. The angularly bent portion 22 of the securing member 2| terminates in a hook portion 23 which is adapted to engage in a notch or opening 24 provided in the rear or upper edge portion of the wing member I!) adjacent the inner edge thereof. Preferably, this hook portion 23 is adaptedto yieldably engage in the notch or opening 24 so that the fastening pin 2| will be yieldably locked in applied position. In this manner, the pin 2| can be readily applied or removed and this pin or locking member can be made of material which will not readily become bent by the fowl and which is of a size such that it will not, when in applied. position, unduly interfere with the breathing of the fowl.

In the use of this device, the wing members or guards l0 and H with the arcuate connecting bar l3 are applied to the beak I2 from above, with the lugs l8 and I9 disposed one on each side of the beak and with the holes 20 substantially alining with the breather openings, in the beak I2 of the fowl. The securing member 2| is then passed through the lug l8 through the breather openings in the beak and through the hole in the lug IS. The angularly bent portion 22 of the locking member 2|. will be disposed relatively close to the outer side of the lug l8 which lug may act as a stop and then the hooked portion 23 carried by the end of the angularly bent portion 22 is swung forwardly and snapped into the notch or opening 24 of the plate or guard member ID. The holes 20 in the lugs I8 and I9 are so disposed that the device, when in applied position, will gravitatingly swing in substantially an upright position with the connecting bar l3 contacting with the outer surface of the beak l2 and carrying a large part of the weight of the device as shown in Figure 1. This device may move freely on the beak to release obstructions with the locking member 2| as a fulcrum but due to the disposition of the weight of the device, the

, device will, in applied position, rest with its wings substantially at right angles to the beak on either side thereof.

This device will not only prevent one fowl from picking the feathers out of another fowl but will also prevent cannibalism, lighting and frightening.

I claim:

1. A device as set forth comprising a pair of spaced apart plates having a size suficient to constitute blinders, an arcuate connecting member connecting the plates together, said plates having alined inner portions and forwardly projecting outer portions, a pair of lugs carried by the inner edges of the plates, a pin extending through said lugs and adapted to engage through the breather openings in the beak of a fowl, a pin locking hook and means secured to the pin and the hook to dispose the hook in offset relation to thepin, one of said plates having a notch in an edge thereof to receive said hook when in locked position.

2,079,107 ings in the beak l2 of the fowl and one end of the 2. A guard for the purpose set forth comprising a single piece of metal shaped into two spaced apart wings adapted in applied position to be disposed one on either side of the beak of a fowl and having a. size suflicient to constitute blinders, each wing having a forwardly bent outer edge and an adjustable normally rigid connecting and supporting bar connecting said wings over the beak of the fowl, and means for securing the guard to the beak with its wings substantially at right angles to the fowl's line of vision.

3. A guard for the purpose set forth comprising a single piece of metal shaped into two spaced .apart wings adapted in applied position to be disposed one on either side of the beak of a fowl and having a size suflicient to constitute blinders, each wing having a forwardly bent outer edge and an adjustable normally rigid connecting and supporting bar connecting said wings over the beak of the fowl, a lug integral with each wing, and means engaging the lugs and extending through the breather openings for securing the guard to the beak.

4. A guard for the purpose set forth comprising a single piece of metal shaped into two spaced apart wings adapted in applied position to be disposed one on either side of the beak of a fowl and having a size suflicient to constitute blinders, each wing having a' forwardly bent outer edge and an adjustable normally rigid connecting and supporting bar connecting said wings over the beak of the fowl, a lug integral with each wing, a bar extending through each lug and through the breather openings for securing the guard to the beak, and means for locking the bar against movement.

5. A guard for the purpose set forth comprising a single piece of metal shaped into two spaced apart wings adapted in applied position to be disposed one on either side of the beak of a fowl and having a size suflicient' to constitute blinders, each wing having a forwardly bent outer edge and an adjustable normally rigid connecting and supporting bar connecting said wings over the beak of the fowl, a lug integral with each wing, a bar extending through each lug and through the breather openings for securing the guard to the beak, an angularly disposed arm carried by the bar, and a hook carried by said arm and engageable over an edge of an adjacent wing to lock the bar against movement.

6. A guard for the purpose set forth comprising a single piece of metal shaped into two spaced apart wings adapted in applied position to be disposed one on either side of the beak of a fowl and having a size sufficient to constitute blinders, each wing having a forwardly bent outer edge and an adjustable normally rigid connecting and supporting bar connecting said wings over the beak of the fowl, a lug integral with each wing, a bar extending through each lug and through the breather openings for securing the guard to the beak, an angularly disposed arm carried by the bar, one of said wings having a notch in an edge thereof, and a hook carried by said arm and engageable in said notch to lock the bar against movement.

J. CLAYTON CRIDLEBAUGH. 

